Tuesday, 14 February 2012

Lamingtons are a recent delicious little discovery for me - sponge cakes coated in chocolate and coconut, originating from Australia. We might have missed Australia Day, but these mini cakes go down a treat any time of year. The coconut topping even looks like snow, making them a perfect match for the weather now that winter has finally unleashed its full force on us. Use dessicated coconut rather than sweetened coconut - not only is is much cheaper, it has a better flavour and drier texture, making it perfect for coating these cakelettes.

I've used an all-in-one method for the sponge cake and it turned out beautifully. This only makes a few cakes, ready for an afternoon tea for two (or one), so double the quantities if you're catering for more.

Sieve the flour and baking powder into a large bowl. Crack the eggs in, then add the caster sugar, butter and vanilla extract.

Whisk with an electric whisk for about a minute, or a wooden spoon for 5 minutes, until beautifully combined. If it doesn't drop easily off a spoon, add a little water to the mixture to thin it.

Pour into the tin and bake for 20-25 minutes, until the cake springs back when you press it and a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. Leave to cool on a wire rack. Cut into squares - you'll get about 8-10 from your cake.

Make the topping by mixing the icing sugar and cocoa powder with hot water until thin enough to pour easily. Tip the dessicated coconut over a plate.

Now for the messy bit. Roll the cake gently in the icing to completely coat it, then roll in the coconut. Stand them on a wire rack until cooled.

They'll keep in an airtight container for five days, although you should really polish them off in one session with an enormous cup of tea.

I made them recently finally from the Dan Leppard http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2013/jan/25/lamington-cake-recipe-dan-lepard but if yours work with straight all in one sponge I might have to try that

The chocolate covering in this recipe is fab though so I might stick with that